Staff Picks

Smoking hot when it's icy cold? That's New York City inviting you to a sweet, tuneful tonic to beat your winter blues. With just a short hop, skip, and jump across town from your luxe SoHo digs, get into the swing of the city's 15th annual Winter Jazzfest. ...

We know it's touristy but trust us, it's worth it. From breathtaking unobstructed views of Central Park to the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan and everything in between, a visit to the Top of the Rock is the best place to see the city sparkle at Christmas time....

Splash some color into a gray fall day with a visit to the Whitney Museum of American Art. Andy Warhol's iconic images will decorate the walls and halls of the must-see museum starting November 12th. ...

The sun is setting earlier and earlier, the air is brisk, and before you know it, Christmas will be here. But first, a night of mischief! The dead return to walk among the living, and little ghouls and devils scurry from house to house, collecting buckets full of candy. ...

One of the most venerable celebrations of the silver screen anywhere in the country, The New York Film Festival has delighted cinephiles since 1963 with its impressive selection of emerging and established talent from across the globe....

Who hasn’t fantasized about partying all night long Jay Gatsby style? With the next Roaring 20s just two years away, you might as well get a head start on making that fantasy a reality at the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party. ...

April showers bring May flowers, which is lucky for us, since May 13 is Mother’s Day and mom definitely deserves a fresh-cut bouquet. If you’re in New York City on the 13th and want to do something novel to celebrate the occasion, we recommend a trip to Central Park, where the city’s vibrant Japanese community will be celebrating the 12th annual Japan Day....

Jerome Robbins was a giant of 20th-century theater and dance. An acclaimed dancer, director, producer, and choreographer, Robbins played key roles in such notable stage productions as Bells Are Ringing, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, The King and I, and High Button Shoes....

Can you guess where the world’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place? If you said New York City, you’re absolutely correct. The year was 1762, and a group of Irishmen serving in the army of Great Britain marched to commemorate the Feast Day of Ireland’s patron saint. ...

Get ready for a New Year celebration! Friday, February 16th marks the start of the Chinese New Year, and on Sunday the 25th, New York will show the world what it means to celebrate as hundreds of thousands of revelers ring in the Year of the Dog in Manhattan’s bustling Chinatown....

New York’s 5th Avenue is the premier spot to do all your holiday shopping. Even if you’re not looking to empty your pockets, you still owe it to yourself to stroll down the avenue and enjoy the many spectacular Christmas window displays. ...

Fans of the zany holiday cult classic Elf, starring Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel, will remember the The Rink at Rockefeller Center as the spot where Jovie (Deschanel) first returns the affection of overgrown elf Buddy (Ferrell). Beneath the radiant Christmas tree, the two share their first kiss, and from there, it’s happily ever after (with a lot of slap-stick thrown in, of course)....

What do Richard Linklater, Todd Haynes, and Woody Allen have in common? If you said they’re all giants of the film industry, you’d be right. They’re also all anchoring the 55th annual New York Film Festival, one of the most highly anticipated yearly events in world cinema....

We generally keep our heaviest partying to the nighttime hours, and back in Prohibition-Era New York you’d never see thousands of flappers and sheiks dancing and downing cocktails outside in the daylight, but that’s exactly what you’re in for on August 26 and 27 on Governors Island. ...

During his lifetime, William Shakespeare was one of Britain’s most popular playwrights, whose work resounded with major concerns of the era, social, political, and economic. Four centuries later, his work continues to generate not only adulation, but also controversy, as evinced by Shakespeare in the Park’s recent production of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar....

As cities across the country and the world prepare to celebrate LGBT Pride this month, Hotel Hugo is proud to be right here in New York, where the modern gay rights movement kicked off almost 50 years ago with the Stonewall Riots....

Now in its 16th year, the wildly successful Tribeca Film Festival combines star-studded entertainment with brilliant artistry, bringing you the best in established and newly-discovered talent from around the world....

For a cultural experience more intimate than NYC's most popular museums, check out the Neue Galerie's collection of twentieth century German and Austrian art. Neue Galerie, opened in 2001, is one of the most recent additions to NYC's Museum Mile....

New York's Chinatown is your destination for the fun and festivities that surround the Lunar New Year. One of the most colorful New York City annual events, it kicks off with the Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival on February 19 at 11 am in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, followed by the always-colorful Lunar New Year Parade and Festivities on February 22 at 1 pm....

Do you ever get bored with the big box office movies that are constantly playing at most cinemas? If your answer is "yes," then Manhattan's Film Forum is the place for you. The only nonprofit cinema in New York City, this forty-four year old institution forgoes commercial movies in favor of a very uncommon line up of films, both old and new, which resonate today....

These waters are still a jaw-dropping sight to behold, especially when you're sitting chin-level with the waterline. One of the best ways we've found to explore it is by kayak and, thanks to the all-volunteer Downtown Boathouse, dipping your toe into this historic waterway is easy and free....

If dancing the Charleston and donning a straw boater seem more your style, there's a distinct possibility you were born in the wrong era. This summer, head to Governors Island for the Jazz Age Lawn Party......